Container



J1me 1942- s. A. RAMSDEN ETAL CONTAINER Filed April 25, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor s Er. H. RHME: DEN

ET. .1 IRRHMSDEN Patented June 30, 1942 CONTAINER George Alexander Ramsden and George John .Russell Ramsden, Lambeth, Ontario, Canada Application April 23, 1940, Serial No. 331,196 16 Claims. (01. 221-99 Our invention relates to improvements in containers and more particularly to those incorporating a pouring and measuring means for the contents, and an object of the invention is to devise a combined pourer and measurer disposed entirely within the confines of the container itself which will lend itself to being readily and cheaply produced along with the container as is essential in the quantity production of containers of the carton type employed for packaging commodities.

A further object is to originate a container of the carton type incorporating a combined pourer and measurer therein which will be capable of assuming a flat or collapsed form for storage and shipping purposes prior to filling.

A still further object is to construct such a container as indicated above in which the various parts of the combined pourer and measurer are locked in position upon closing the container and after opening it to dispense the contents.

Another object is to devise a container as referred to above wherein the container proper and the combined pourer and measurer are fabricated integrally out of a sheet of paper or cardboard.

Yet another object is to produce such a container which will be capable of being filled and closed by the orthodox machines at present in use for such purpose.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear hereinafter as the specification proceeds, our invention consists, in its preferred embodiment, of the construction and arrangement all as hereinafter more particularly described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 represents a plan view of the blank from which my container is formed.

Fig. 2 is an edgewise view of the blank illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 2 only showing a side fiap constituting a part of the combined pourer and measurer infolded onto the part of the blank forming one of the container end the upper end flaps closed and part of the com showing the end flaps of the container turned down thereinto to form a baflie spaced from the adjacent end wall whereby a pouring orifice for the contents is constituted therebetween.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the container with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 9 and drawn to the same scale as Fig. 5 as are Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive.

Like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different views of the drawmgs.

In the embodiment of ourinvention illustrated the container is of the rectangular paper carton type with fiap closures for both top and bot-- tom and adapted to be collapsible so that it may be packed fiat prior to being used. When required for use such container is designed to be opened up and filled and sealed by standard machines ordinarily employed for packaging cartons of this type. It comprises an integral blank A of paper or cardboard suitably scored and cut to form it into side wall portions l and 2 separated by an end wall portion 3, the opposite side edges of the portions I and 2 to those adjacent to the portion 3 having respectively similar end wall portions 4 and 5. Top and bottom end flaps 6 and I, 8 and 9, l0 and H, I2 and i3 are pro-- vided respectively on the upper and lower ends of the portions I, 3, 2 and 5. So far the construction is substantially orthodox in any rectangular collapsible paper carton type container with the exception that the fiap I2 is of somewhat less length than the remaining end flaps for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

A short distance from the end of the flap 6 adjacent to the end wall 4 is an arcuate incision I4 located intermediately of the width of the flap and its ends connected to lateral score lines 15 extending to the side edges of the flap 6. The score line l5 extending to the flap side edge adjacent the side wall I connects with a perforation line It at right angles thereto continuing to the adjacent corner of the end wall 4.

A lateral score line ll positioned the same distance from the end of the flap l0 adjacent the flap l2 as the score lines 15 are spaced from the end of the flap 8 adjacent the end wall 4 extends from sideto side of such flap l8 and joins a perforation line l8 at right angles thereto and continuing to the adjacent corner of the end wall 5. A continuation I8 of the perforation line i8 extends laterally across the junction of the flap l2 with the end wall 5 and a further line of perforations very substantially weakening the flap |2 lntermediately extends laterally thereacross an equal distance from the perforation line I! to the distance the score linesv I1 and I5 are from the above referred to ends of the flaps l0 and 6 respectively.

An additional rectangular flap 2| is provided extending out from the free side edge of the end wall 5 and its upper edge being preferably comcident with the perforation lines l8 and I8. Its lower edge may be disposed at any suitable height in the length of the end wall 5. A score line 22 extends laterally across the flap 2| intermediately of its length and coincident score lines 23 and 24 are disposed at the junction of the flap 2| with the end wall 5. From the intersection of the score line 22 with the score line 23 an incision 25 in the end wall 5 extends inclinedly upward and towards the flap ||l, thence upward parallel to the score line 24 and then inclinedly upward and outward to the intersection of the perforation line i8, score line 24 and adjacent edges of the flaps l2 and 2|. A notch 28 is formed in the upper inclined portion of the incision 25 adjacent to or at the intersection with the portion parallel to the score line 24. Such incision 25 completely severs the upper part of the flap 2| from the end wall 5 and in fact a portion of the end wall 5 becomes a flap 21 attached to the upper part of the flap 2|.

On the side edge of the flap 2| remote from the flap 21 an additional flap 28 is provided having an upwardly and outwardly inclined upper edge and a downwardly and outwardly inclined lower edge. The inclined upper edge is provided with a, notch 29 for a purpose which will hereinafter be disclosed. A score line 30 is disposed at the junction of the flap 28 with the flap 2|.

In forming up the container the flap 2| is folded over onto the end wall 5 and its lower portion below the score line 22 is gummed thereto as illustrated in Fig. 3. The flap 2| and end wall 5 are then turned at right angles to the wall 2 with the flap 2| innermost. The end wall 3 is bent at right angles to the side wall 2, the side wall I at right angles to the end wall 3, and the end wall 4 at right angles to the side wall I and overlying the end wall 5 as is clearly illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. The overlying end wall 4 is gummed to the end wall 5 by applying a vertical strip of adhesive 3| to the inner face of the end wall 4, said strip extending laterally from the free side edge of such wall to intermediately of its width so as to escape contact with the flap 21 as depicted in Fig. 4. Alternatively the gum may be applied to the outer surface of the wall 5 so long as it is clear of the flap 21, or of course it y e pplied to both of the above mentioned surfaces.

When the container is in the form illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 the flap 28 will be disposed at right angles to the flap 2| and will lie against the inner surface of the side wall 2, the flap 21 will be in its original position within the plane of the end wall 5 and the flap 2| itself will lie against the inner surface of the end wall 5. In such position the end flaps, both bottom and top, lie in the same plane as the connected side and end walls. Consequently it is possible to collapse the container flat o that the walls I and 2 are substantially in contact with each other as is orthodox practice with similar containers unprovlded with pourers and measurers prior to their being filled, and this despite a portion of the combined pourer and measurer already being attached to the interior of the container.

When it is desired to fill the container the top is first closed by inturning the end flaps 8 and I2 and then superimposing thereon the inturned flaps l0 and 8 with the latter uppermost, such flaps being gummed to each other as is standard practice. In turning in the flap |2 it engages the inclined upper edge of th flap 28 forcing such flap to swing inward. about the score line 22 as a fulcrum (as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 7) until the free end edge of the flap |2 springs into the notch 29 in the flap 28. In such position the inclined upper edge of such flap 28 will lie substantially horizontal and will abut the flap l0 and the aforesaid flap l2 (see Fig. 7 again). The inclination of the lower edge of the flap 28 is such that when its position is as indicated above and illustrated in Fig. 7 it will abut the end wall 5. Thus the upper part of the flap 2| will be held at such side in position by the flap 28 and such means is sufficient,

both in filling and in storing the filled container,

to hold firmly in place such upper part of the flap 2| in the required inclined position to constitute a bafile B wherein it and the corresponding part of the end wall 5 form between them a pocket C for the reception of successive portions of the container's contents as will hereinafter appear.

When the upper flaps are lntumed to close the top of the container the score lines l5 and ll of the flaps 8 and ill will register with each other and with the perforation line 20 of the underlying flap I2.

Subsequent to the closing of one end of the container, it is filled and the other end closed in orthodox fashion by inturning and gumming together the end fiaps at that end of the container;

ghe package is now ready to be shipped and so When it is desired to dispense the contents the perforation lines I6, l8 and I!) are completely'severed by the user, the tab 32 resulting from the arcuate incision I4 is pried up and held in position by the fingers as the end portions of the flaps 6, l0 and I2 are pushed down into the position illustrated in Fig, 8 wherein such end portions form a laminated baffle D depending into the pocket C in spaced relation to the baiile B and its free end edge inserted into the notch 28 in the flap 21. The buckling of the balile D is prevented by the above referred to holding of the tab 32 by the fingers, and the prying up of such tab tends to start the turning down of the bafiie D. By such locking of the baffle D it is held in position and constitutes with the spaced apart end wall 5 a discharge passageway E for the contents of the container when the same has been inverted as will be subsequently described. The lock also serves to anchor the opposite side of the baffle B to that which is anchored by the flap 28 as the lower end of the flap 21 is suitably inclined to abut the end wall 5 when the assembled parts are in the position shown in Figs. 9 and 10 of the drawings.

In order to set forth as clearly as possible the operation and relationship of the various parts of the container, the foregoing description has dealt with the operations of forming up, filling and closing the container as it might be performed by hand, but as it is a principal feature of the present invention to provide a container which may be shipped fiat and adapted for subsequent forming up into box form, filling and closing on an ordinary filling machine, the actual practical manner of doing this will now be explained.

In folding the blank A for flat shipment, the operation is as follows: The flap 2| is folded over onto the end wall so as to lie fiat thereagainst and its lower portion is glued thereto. Then the side wall 2 is folded over so that the side wall 2 and end wall 5 (with the attached flap 2|) lie flat against the end wall 3 and side wall I and finally the end wall 4 is folded over flat against the end wall 5 and glued thereto. This is the flat condition in which the container is shipped.

This collapsed fiat folded blank may then be readily formed up into box form on an ordinary filling machine in which operation the top flap l2 first comes down and in doing so moves the inclined baflle B into its inclined position by engagement with the inclined upper edge of the flap 28 carried at one side of the baille B and finally retainsthe baiile in its proper inclined position by engagement of the free edge of the fiap l2 within the notch 29 on the flap 28. In this operation the flap 28 slides freely over the face of the side wall 2, this fiap being quite free of the side wall and not glued or otherwise secured thereto.

The combined pourer and measurer in the container functions on the same principle as the structure disclosed and claimed in our application Ser. No. 314,522 filed January 18, 1940. When the package is primarily inverted so that the corner with the discharge passageway E is lowermost a predetermined amount of the contents such as powdered soap, or any ;reasonably fine comminuted material flows in between the baille B and the baille D. Upon the container being restored to its normal upright position such quantity of material is entrapped and falls down into the pocket C. When the container is again inverted this same quantity of material is discharged through the passageway E. As this particular quantity of material is discharged another and substantially identical amount flows in between the two bailles. Thus alternately inverting and turning the package upright successivel dispenses substantially equal quantities of material from the container until the same has been entirely emptied.

It is obvious that by changing the length and/or the inclination of the bailles B and D the amounts of commodity dispensed from the container can be varied.

From the above description it will be apparent that we have devised a simple and effective container for commodities incorporating a combined pourer and contents measure which can be manufactured at practically the cost of the present package of the same type and unequipped with such improvement. Furthermore, our container can be filled and sealed by existing equipment employed for this purpose.

Many modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit of the same or the scope of the claims. For instance, the sequence of folding the several parts of the blank to close the container may be varied at will to suit the operation of the machines used, such as the sealing of the bottom of the container first, the container then being filled and finally the top closed and sealed.

What we claim as our invention is:

, 1. In a container including side and end walls, flap closures for top and bottom completely sealing the container, the top flap closure having one end portion adapted to be turned down into the container to form a discharge slit through the top of the container and disposed in spaced relation to the adjacent end wall to form a baflle thereby leaving a discharge passage between it and such end wall in communication with said slit, an inwardly inclined ballle between the side walls-extending upwardly from an intermediate point in the height of the aforesaid end wall and having its free edge disposed in spaced relation to the top fiap closure, said inwardly inclined baffle being located in spaced relation to, the depending baflle on the side remote from the aforesaid end wall, and means at one side of the inwardly inclined baille abutting the aforesaid end wall and the top flap closure and movable into position by the latter for locking-said inwardly inclined baille in its inclined position.

2. In a container including side and end walls, flap closures for top and bottom completely sealing the container, the top flap closure having one end portion adapted to be turned down into the container to form a discharge slit through the top of the container and disposed in spaced relation to the adjacent end wall to form a baflie thereby leaving a discharge passage between it and such end wall in communication with said slit, an inwardly inclined baflle between the side walls extending upwardly from an intermediate point in the height of the aforesaid end wall and having its free edge disposed in spaced relation to the top flap closure, said inwardly inclined baffle being located in spaced relation to the depending bafile on the side remote from the aforesaid end wall, and means at one side of the inwardly inclined baffle for simultaneously locking the depending baffie and the inwardly inclined baille in their operative positions.

3. In a container including side and end walls, flap closures for top and bottom completely sealing the container, the top flap closure having one end portion adapted to be turned down into the container to form a discharge slit through the top of the container and disposed in spaced relation to the adjacent end wall to form a baflle thereby leaving a discharge passage between it and such end wall in communication with said slit, an inwardly inclined baffle between the side walls extending upwardly from an intermediate point in the height of the aforesaid end wall and having its free edge disposed in spaced relation to the top flap closure, said inwardly inclined bafl'le being located in spaced relation to the depending baffle on the side remote from the aforesaid end wall, means at one side of the inwardly inclined bafile abutting the aforesaid end wall and the top flap closure for locking said inwardly inclined bafile in its inclined position, and means at the opposite side of the inwardly inclined battle to the aforesaid means and abutting the aforesaid end wall for simultaneously locking the depending baflle and the inwardly inclined baiile in their operative positions.

4. In a container including side and end walls, fiap closures for top and bottom, the top flap closure having one end portion adapted to be turned down into the container in spaced relation to the adjacent end wall and form a bafile thereby leaving a discharge slit between it and such end wall, an inwardly inclined baffle between the side walls extending upwardly from an intermediate .pointgin the height of the aforesaid end wall and having its free edge disposed in spaced relation to the top flap closure, said inwardly inclined baflle being located in spaced relation to the depending baflle on the side remote from the aforesaid end wall, and a flap on one side of the inwardly inclined baflle bent at right angles thereto to lie freely against the adjacent side wall and having inclined upper and lower ends abutting respectively the top flap closure and the aforesaid end wall on the side of the inclined bafiie remote from the said end wall for locking the inwardly inclined baffle in its inclined position.

5. In a container including side and end walls,

- flap closures for top and bottom, the top flap closure having one end portion adapted to be turned down into the container in spaced relarelation to the depending battle on the side remote from the aforesaid end wall, and a flap on one side of the inwardly inclined baflie bent at right angles thereto to lie against the adjacent side wall and having an inclined lower end abutting the aforesaid end wall, said baflie having a notch into which the lower'extremity of the depending baflle is inserted.

6. In a container including side and end walls, flap closures for top and bottom, the top flap closure having one end portion adapted to be turned down into the container in spaced relation to the adjacent end wall and form a bailie thereby leaving a discharge slit between it and such end wall, an inwardly inclined baflie between the side walls extending upwardly from an intermediate point in the height of the aforesaid end wall and having its free edge disposed in spaced relation to the top flap closure, said inwardly inclined baflle being located in spaced relation to the depending baflle on the side remote from the aforesaid end wall, a flap on one side of the inwardly inclined baflle bent at right angles thereto to lie against the adjacent side aforesaid end wall and the lower extremity ofthe depending flapbeing inserted into the notch in said notched flap.

7. In a container including side and end walls, flap closures for top and bottom completely sealing the container, the top flap closure having one end portion adapted to be turned down into the container to form a discharge slit through the top of the container and disposed in spaced relation to the adjacent end wall to form a bafile thereby leaving a discharge passage between it and such end wall in communication with said slit, an inwardly inclined battle between the side walls extending upwardly from an intermediate point in the height of the aforesaid end wall and having its free edge disposed in spaced relation to the top flap closure, said inwardly inclined baffle being located in spaced relation to the depending bafile on the side remote from the aforesaid end wall, and means formed on the sides of the inwardly inclined baflie for locking such baffle and the depending battle in their operative po- 1 sitions in the container.

8. A container as claimed in claim 3 wherein a notch is provided in the inclined upper end of the flap on the inwardly inclined baflie engageable with the free extremity of an inturned end flap of the top flap closure.

9. In a container having a top closure comprising 'infolded end and side flaps attached to each other adhesively and one end portion being adapted to be turned down into the container to constitute a depending baiile spaced from the adjacent end wall thereby leaving a discharge slit between it andsuch end wall, and an incision in the top flap of the closure constituting a tab positioned in spaced relation to the end of the closure adapted to be turned down into the container.

10. A container as claimed in claim 9 wherein transverse score lines extend from the ends of the incision to the side edges. of the top flap, and transverse material weakeninglines on the underlying side and end flaps register with the aforesaid score lines. 1

11. A rectangular container of the carton type incorporating a combined pourer and measurer for the contents fabricated from a unitary paper blank comprising side wall portions, an end wall portion separating the side wall portions, end wall portions extending laterally from the side margins of the side wall portions remote from the interposed end wall portion, a baflie forming flap extending laterally from one of the last mentioned end wall portions and its upper part partially severed therefrom, and top and bottom closure flaps formed on the side wall portions,

the interposed end wall portion, and the end 1wall portion provided with the bafile forming 12. A container as claimed in claim 11 wherein the top side closure flaps have transverse material weakening lines spaced an equal distance from their outer ends, material weakening lines extending at right angles to the aforesaid weakening lines to the outer ends of the top side wall cloure flaps at the junction of such flaps with the side wall portions, a transverse material weakening line at the junction of the end wall portion provided with the baflie forming flap with its top closure flap, a transverse material weakening line extending across the last mentioned top closure flap the same distance from its lower margin as the distance between the material weakening lines of the top side wall closure flaps and the outer ends of the latter, and a transverse material weakening line extending across the baffle forming flap at the bottom of its upper part partially severed from the attached end wall portion.

13. A rectangular container of the carton type in orporating a combined pourer and measurer for the contents fabricated from a unitary paper blank comprising side wall portions, an end wall portion separating the side wall portions, end wall portions extending laterally from the side margins ofthe side wall portions remote from the interposed end wall portion, a bailie forming flap extending laterally from one of the last mentioned end wall portions which has an incision extending from an intermediate point in the line of junction with the battle forming flap inclinedly upward and inward in such adjacent end wall portion, thence upward therein and thence upward and outward therein to the inner upper corner of the baflle forming flap thereby severing the upper part of the battle forming flap from the adjacent end wall portion and constituting a flap on the inner side margin of such baffle forming flap, a flap formed on andextending laterally from the free side edgeof the baflie forming flap and having inwardly and respectively downwardly and upwardly inclined upper and lower edges, and top and bottom closure flaps formed on the side wall portions, the interposed end wall portion, and the end wall portion provided with the baiiie forming flap.

14. A single piece rectangular paper container bottom closures, an upwardly and inwardly inclined baiiie between the side walls formed from a lateral extension of one end wall and extending from an intermediate point in the height of such end wall towards the top of the container, its upper end being in spaced relation to the top closure, and a depending baflle formed from a down turned end portion of the top closure and positioned between the inclined baflle and the attached end wall in spaced relation to both, said down turned end portion of the top closure leaving a discharge slit therein between the depending battle and the aforesaid end wall.

and combined pourer and measurer for the con- 1 tents entirely disposed in the container comprising side walls,.end walls and top and bot- .tom closure flaps intumed to constitutetop and 1 5. A construction as claimed in claim 14 wherein means Ireely movable with respect to the side walls 01' the container is provided for locking the inclined baflie and the depending baflie in position.

16. A construction as claimed in claim 14 wherein means is provided on the inclined bame for simultaneously locking it and the depending b'aiiie in position.

GEORGE ALEXANDER RAMSDEN. GEORGE JOHN RUSSELL RAMSDEN. 

